TAMPA, Fla. — The trauma that comes with sexual assault can be overwhelming, especially for those that can’t get to help right away.

Now, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay has found a way to make their services portable.

Here are five things you need to know about this new piece of equipment that is changing lives for sexual assault victims in our area.

• Colposcopes are large, electric microscopes that doctors use to examine a woman's cervix. The Crisis Center uses a portable colposcope to take a closer look at internal injuries and evidence after a sexual assault occurs.
• The portable colposcope will allow rape kits to be conducted at hospitals if a victim is too injured to come directly to the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay facility. It will also be used at jails, detention centers, and Baker Act facilities.
• Findings gleaned from a colposcopy can make a huge difference if a sexual assault victim chooses to press charges. The images can act as a vital piece of evidence in a lawsuit. Since rape kits must be done within 120 hours of the assault, the device helps close that window for victims who can’t get to the facility.
• The device costs more than $10,000, and was funded through grant money. The Center says they have had it for about two months, and it has already been put to good use.
• If you or someone you know may be in crisis, help is available 24 hours a day by calling 211.